By Rob Bertrand Santa Claus is an iconic figure the world over and, as such, has been used to market everything from laundry detergent to Coca-Cola. It should come as no surprise, then, that he, too, has been paid the ultimate tribute by being immortalized on cardboard. Through the years, Santa has been the subject of many a...

By Barbara Sutton-Smith Bah Humbug! That was Ebenezer Scrooge's iconic attitude to Christmas, and Christmas carols were definitely not music to his ears. But if Scrooge would have known what kinds of profits were to be found in holiday music, he’d be sound asleep on Christmas Eve with visions of dollar signs dancing in his head. Christmas music...

In the 1840s and 1850s, northern Europe experienced a wave of crop failures and food shortages that resulted in a flood of immigration to the United States. Scandinavian settlers brought with them the tradition of making an assortment of delicious Christmas cookies using open fireplaces and cast iron implements. Over time, cultures blended into America’s melting pot and...

By Bonnie Wilpon These days, I hear people bemoaning the commercialization of the holiday season. At least once during Black Friday, there’s a tale on the news of a shopper being trampled by a thundering horde galloping toward a big sale. But in the wonderful world of postcards, there are never any arguments or disagreements, worries about money...

Last year, at the beginning of the holiday season, I received an e-mail from a young lady by the name of Nancy who dabbles in antiques and collectibles and frequents estate sales. What immediately caught my attention was the attached photo of a small, white-on-black porcelain license plate with the words “Registered in R.I.” at the top and...

The Eames model 670 lounge chair and 671 ottoman are undoubtedly the most recognizable pieces of mid century modern furniture and the most copied. The 670 lounge set was designed by Charles and Ray Eames; the famous husband-and-wife team that literally changed the course of commercial design starting in the early 1940s. The lounge chair was designed in...

Jason T. Smith, the star of “Thrift Hunters” and a WorthPoint Worthologist with a penchant for all things tiki, will be bringing dozens of Polynesian-themed items to sell at the International Tiki Marketplace Holiday Edition Saturday, Dec. 6 at Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach, Calif. [caption id="attachment_2521508" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jason T. Smith, the star of “Thrift Hunters”...

By Wayne Jordan If you’re gifting and shipping collectibles for the holidays, I hope you are either very lucky or very well insured. I recently shipped a First World War artillery-shell lamp and packed it to the point where I thought it was bullet-proof: a layer of paper wrap, tape-reinforced at the lamp's base and socket, bubble-wrapped, and...

By Harry Rinker Growing up as a youngster in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Friday after Thanksgiving marked the start of the “official” Christmas holiday shopping season. Department stores and local merchants unveiled their Christmas window displays. Santa’s Toyland opened to the delight of children of all ages. It was the first opportunity to meet and...

By Matt Baum This week on the Comic Speculator we’re taking a break from comics to talk about one of the most iconic collectible cars in the nerd-car-collecting world. While it’s a collector’s market I’m not sure exists, I certainly with I had the income to be a part of it. Heritage Auctions’ Dec. 6 Entertainment and Music...